My sisters lurcher cross who is just 6 months old started to spot blood on Wednesday but since then there has been nothing at all.Is this normal? She is due to have a friend plus un- neutered dog to stay next week and is unsure whether to call it off or not.Her behaviour is no different but she did lick herself a lot on Wednesday but hasn't bothered since.She is slightly swollen but not much. Can anyone help please?

I would consider that she is coming into season...not all bitches lose a lot of blood, and some keep themselves very clean. During this early phase there may be very little swelling. Under no circumstances board an unneutered dog with her....this bitch is way too young to take risks with , and unless you are experienced and have highly secure arrangements to keep them apart, you will get an unwanted mating. Keep all dogs away from her for at least 21 days. If you are not convinced this is a season, see the vet.

Hi

My girl Luna, just turned 1 year yesterday, is showing (what I think is signs) signs of coming into season - her first. She isn't swollen ( I think), and there is no fluid. But she pees a lot more and this morning we met a dog puppy 10 months old. We meet him every morning and they play, but this morning he didn't leave her back, he was sniffing and did try to mount her a couple of times - without succes I should add!!

Would you guys agree with me that this could FINALLY be her season coming?

Jeanette and Luna

I was right, Luna started bleeding Wednesday, but is still not that swollen. But I think I read somewhere, that all dogs are different, so I'm not worried.

But it seems like Luna thought: "okay, now my season has started, so now I can completely stop listening to my mum, and really pull on my lead! Fun" Not! I almost tripled the lenght of my left arm walking her out to my mother! I'mm thinking of recovering her harness from the back of the closet maybe that will make it a bit easier.

Jeanette and Luna (no longer my baby, but my little girl)

They become more swollen as the season progresses, and often when they are not fully mature, say the first 2 or 3 seasons they are not as swollen as they will be latter in their lives, may be natures way, I don't know but the bitches I have had have all followed that pattern. I know that a bitch can and will be mated on their early seasons and they should be kept safe from that risk, but their bodies are more ready to accept the mating when they are about 2 years old. In wild dogs they are not allowed to mate only the top bitch and dog produce young and should any of lower rank produce young they are usually killed so I guess this progression of the bitches maturity is a throw back to centuries ago.

Hi Jackie

Thanks for putting my mind at ease. I'm going to have to watch and learn, huh?

She has already on the second day gotten a lot better with cleaning herselft and the areas, she has been sitting or lying.

jeanette

Hi Jackie

I've just typed "season" in the search and oh boy, did I get a lot of posts up!

As I've said before, this is Luna's first season, and as you predicted she has become more swollen. Will this be throughout the whole season, or will the sweeling halfway through start to go down?

Do you know how long they bleed for? We are now on the sixth day. And she is trying so very haard to keep clean, but there are just some places where it's impossible, such as the carpet in the livingroom and on her "chair". She uses my footstool, so she can sit and look out the window. I live on the third floor, and the window is a bit up, soo she can't just stand on all four legs and look out.

I've solved the "problem" by laying a towel on the footstool, it can be washed in the washing machine.
And the few spots on the carpet can be vacuumed when they are all dried up.

Hope you can give me a few pointers

Thanks
Jeanette

Our 7 month old Bullmastiff has just had her season, and she didnt bleed one drop :D Silent seasons are very common (especially in the larger size range), and can pass without many/any symptoms. I would go with this as her first season, then she can be neutered ASAP instead of waiting for the 2nd to "make sure" and it being too late to combat the risks of mammary cancer.

Edited to add: Thanks by the way, you reminded me to phone the vets about getting Dharma spayed. Only a month or two to wait now! :D